ANHINGA. 203 



"The fully adult female (if the sex of several specimens in the British 

 Museum is correctly determined) appears to be perfectly similar in 

 plumage to the male, the only difference being that the bill is decidedly 

 shorter, 79 to 81 mm. In some females, however, which appear to be 

 perfectly adult, the black bases of the fore neck and the chest are divided 

 on either side from the back by a whitish buff band, as in immature birds. 



"Immature birds. General color as in the adult, but neck much lighter 

 and of a pale brownish white, becoming white down the middle of the 

 fore neck; black at base of fore neck and chest bordered on each side by 

 a whitish buff band; streaks on the upper plumage of a more yellowish 

 white, long pointed scapulars absent or half developed; quills and tail- 

 feathers pointed and narrowly margined at the tips with pale whitish 

 brown; ribs on innermost scapulars and tail-feathers but slightly indi- 

 cated; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts brownish black. 



"Young in down. Head, neck, upper back, and under parts covered 

 with white down, amongst which the plumage of the immature is more 

 or less visible; quill- and tail-feathers half grown, pointed and narrowly 

 margined at the extremity with pale brownish white ; scapulars and wing- 

 coverts much like those of the adult, but fringed externally with brown. 

 Length, 724." (Grant) 



"Exceedingly abundant about Lake Naujan in Mindoro, where it 

 breeds. Rarer about fresh- water streams in the interior of that island. 

 Not met with by us outside of Mindoro. 



"Always swims with its body entirely immersed, and can remain 

 under water an incredibly long time. Flies with difficulty when it first 

 rises from water. Makes straight for some good roosting place, preferably 

 a stump or log in the edge of the water, where it alights, turns its back to 

 the sun, spreads its wings, and remains until thoroughly dry. When dry 

 it flies rapidly, and may often be seen during the heat of the day soaring 

 at a considerable height." (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



"Very abundant on the upper waters of the Rio Grande de Cagayan 

 in Isabela Province, and on the upper Agusan River and its lake system 

 in Mindanao." ( W orcester. ) 



The Indian darter is fairly abundant along the Baco River in Mindoro 

 and on the Cagayan River in the vicinity of Aparri, Luzon. Clemens 

 collected specimens on Lake Lanao, Mindanao. 



Family STILID-ffi. 



Bill stout and pointed, tapering gradually, the tip slightly curved but 

 never hooked; a groove along each side of culmen; nostrils completely 

 closed in adults ; wings long and pointed, first primary longest ; tail long 

 and wedge shaped; tarsus short and stout; outer and middle toes nearly 

 equal; claw of middle toe broad and pectinate. 



